Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Tablets, USP CII
[(meth′′ il fen′ i date hye′′ droe klor′ ide)]
Whatis themost important information I should knowabout methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets?
Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets is a federal controlled substance (CII) because it canbe abused or lead to dependence.Keep methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets may harm others and is against the law.
Tell your doctor if you or your child have abused orbeendependent on alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs.
The following have beenreported with use of methylphenidate hydrochloride and other stimulantmedicines:
1.Heart-related problems:
- sudden death in patients who have heart problems or heart defects
- stroke and heart attack in adults
- increased blood pressure and heart rate
Tell your doctor if you or your child haveany heart problems,heartdefects, highblood pressure, or a family history of theseproblems.
Your doctor should check you or yourchild carefully for heart problems before starting methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets.
Your doctor should check you or your child’s blood pressureand heart rateregularly during treatment with methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets.
Call your doctor right away if you or your child has any signs of heart problems, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting while taking methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets.
2. Mental (psychiatric) problems
:
All Patients
- new or worse behaviorand thought problems
- new or worse bipolar illness
- new or worse aggressivebehavior orhostility
- new psychotic symptoms (such as hearing voices, believing things thatarenot true, aresuspicious)or newmanic symptoms
Tell your doctor about any mental problems you or your child have, or about a family history of suicide, bipolar illness, ordepression.
Callyour doctor right awayifyou oryour child have any neworworsening mental symptoms or problemswhile taking methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets, especially seeing or hearing things thatare not real, believing things that are not real, or aresuspicious.
What is methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets?
- Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant prescription medicine. It is used for the treatment of Attention DeficitHyperactivityDisorder (ADHD).Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets may help increase attention and decreaseimpulsiveness and hyperactivity in patientswith ADHD.
- Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets should be used as a part of a total treatment program for ADHD that may include counseling or other therapies.
- Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets is also used in the treatment of a sleep disordercalled narcolepsy.
It is not known if methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets is safe and effective inchildren under 6 yearsof age.
Who should not take methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets?
Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets should not be taken if you or your child:
- are allergictomethylphenidate hydrochloride, orany of theingredients in methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets. See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets.
- are taking or have taken within the past 14 days an anti-depression medicine called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI).
Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets may not be right foryou oryour child. Before starting methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets, tell your oryourchild’s doctor about all health conditions (or a family history of), including:
- heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure
- mental problems, including psychosis, mania, bipolarillness, or depression
- circulation problems in fingers or toes
- if you are pregnant or plan to becomepregnant. It is not known if methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets will harm your unborn baby.
o There is a pregnancy registry for females who are exposed to ADHD medications, including methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets, during pregnancy. The purpose of the registry is to collect information about the health of females exposed to methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets and their baby. If you or your child becomes pregnant during treatment with methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the National Pregnancy Registry of ADHD Medications at 1-866-961-2388 or visit online at
womensmentalhealth.org/adhd-medications.
- if you are breastfeedingor plan to breastfeed.Methylphenidate passesintoyourbreastmilk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby during treatment with methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets.
Tell your doctor about all of the medicines thatyou or your child takes, including prescription and over-the-countermedicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets and some medicines may interact with each other and causeserious side effects. Sometimes the doses of other medicines will need to be adjusted while taking methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets.
Your doctorwill decide whethermethylphenidate hydrochloride tablets can be taken with other medicines.
Especially tell your doctor ifyou oryour child takes:
- anti-depression medicines, including MAOIs
- blood pressure medicines (anti-hypertensive)
Know the medicines that you or yourchild takes. Keep a list of your medicines with you to showyour doctor and pharmacist.
- You should not take methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets on the day of your operation if a certain type of anestheticis used. This isbecause there is a chance of a sudden rise in blood pressure and heart rate during the operation.
Do not start any newmedicine while taking methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets without talking to your doctor first.
How should methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets be taken?
- Take methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets exactly as prescribed. Your doctormay adjust thedose until it is right for you or your child.
- Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets is usually taken 2 to 3 times a day.
- Take methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets 30 to 45 minutes before a meal.
- From time-to-time, your doctor may stop methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets treatment for a while to checkADHD symptoms.
- Your doctor may do regular checks of the blood, heart, and bloodpressure while takingmethylphenidate hydrochloride tablets.
- Childrenshould have their height and weight checked often whiletakingmethylphenidate hydrochloride tablets. Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets treatment may be stopped if a problem is found during these check-ups.
- In case of poisoning, call your poisoncontrol center at 1-800-222-1222 right away, or goto the nearest hospitalemergencyroom.
What are the possible side effects of methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets?Methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets may cause serious side effects, including:
- see “What is the most important information
I should knowabout methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets?” for information on reported heart and mental problems.
- painful and prolonged erections (priapism)have occurredwith methylphenidate. Ifyou or your child developspriapism, seekmedical help right away. Because of the potential for lasting damage, priapismshould be evaluated by a doctor immediately.
- circulation problems in fingers and toes (peripheral vasculopathy, including Raynaud’s phenomenon):
o fingers or toesmay feel numb, cool, painful
o fingers or toesmay change color from pale, to blue, to red
Tell your doctor if you or your child have, numbness, pain, skin color change, or sensitivityto temperature inthe fingers or toes.
- Call your doctor right away if you have or your child has any signs of unexplained wounds appearing on fingersor toes while taking methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets.
- Slowing of growth (height and weight) in children
Common side effects include:
- fast heart beat
- abnormal heartbeat (palpitations)
- headache
- trouble sleeping
- nervousness
- sweating a lot
- decreased appetite
- dry mouth
- nausea
- stomach pain
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.You may report side effects to FDA at1-800-FDA-1088.
How should I store methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets?
- Store methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets in a safe place and in a tightly closed container at room temperature between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
- Protect from light.
- Dispose of remaining, unused, or expired methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets by a medicine take-back program at authorized collection sites, such as retail pharmacies, hospital or clinicpharmacies, and law enforcement locations. If no take-back program or authorizedcollector isavailable, mix methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets with an undesirable, nontoxic substance,such as dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds to make it less appealing to children and pets. Place the mixture in a container, such as a sealed plastic bag and throw away (discard) methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets in the household trash.
- Keep methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets and all medicines out of the reach of children.
General information about the safe and effectiveuse ofmethylphenidate hydrochloride tablets.
Medicines are sometimesprescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. You can ask your pharmacist or doctor for information about methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets that is written for healthcareprofessionals. Do not use methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets to other people,even if they have the samesymptoms thatyou have. Itmay harm them and it is against the law.
Whatare theingredientsin methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets?
Active ingredient: Methylphenidate HCl
Inactive ingredients: Colloidal Silicon Dioxide, D&C Yellow #10 Aluminium lake, FD&C Blue #1/Brilliant Blue FCF Aluminium lake (10-mg tablets), Lactose Monohydrate, Magnesium Stearate, Polyethylene glycol, Pregelatinized starch (5-mg and 20-mg tablets), Sucrose.
To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Ascend Laboratories, LLC at 1-877-ASC-RX01 (877-272-7901) or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or
www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Manufactured by:
Alkem Laboratories
1733 Gilsinn Lane, Fenton, MO 63026
Distributed by:
Ascend Laboratories, LLC
Parsippany, NJ 07054
Revised: August, 2021
This Medication Guide has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
L916 (150009) VER 01